Johnny Apollo

Sometimes it's best with some films to turn off your brain and just enjoy. You can't think through the plot too much or your head might just explode! This is exactly the sort of film JOHNNY APOLLO is--very entertaining and fun but also with a plot that strains credibility way beyond the breaking point.

The film begins with Edward Arnold being arrested for stock fraud. Suddenly, his millions are gone and his son (Tyrone Power) must leave school and fend for himself. In a very odd scene between the two before Arnold is sent to prison, Tyrone expresses disappointment in his father and Arnold responds by disowning him! Considering everything that Arnold had done, his sanctimonious response was perplexing. Despite being disowned, Power did still care about his father. However, he was also shocked to see that Dad's reputation ruined his chance to get a job--as everyone held this against him. Then, after changing his name, his only employer fired him because he DIDN'T acknowledge Arnold as his father! Sometimes you just can't win.

Now, without a job AND wanting to earn enough money to hire a shyster lawyer to file an appeal (as responsible ones won't), Tyrone approaches a drunken lawyer who has a history of playing fast and loose with the truth. In the process, he comes to know a notorious hood (Lloyd Nolan) and is soon hired--and he's now on the fast track to be able to afford the lawyer and to "grease the right palms" to get Arnold sprung from jail. Oddly, however, they never really show or talk about Power doing anything especially illegal!

Soon after beginning work with Nolan, Power has a reconciliation with Dad when he visits the prison. However, when Arnold learns that his son is working for the underworld, he vows, once again, to have nothing to do with Power. Again, this makes little sense. The first time, he disowns him for not being for accepting of his evil ways and now that Power, too, is a crook the father can't accept him once again! There's a lot more to the plot than this and Power even eventually is imprisoned in the same place as his dad!

Along for the ride is Dorothy Lamour as a lounge singer with a heart of gold and Charlie Grapewin (in one of his best roles) as the crooked attorney. All in all the acting (especially Nolan and Arnold) is very good and the film has so many plot elements and twists that it is a decent example of early Film Noir. Entertaining and impossibly improbable--plus it really is a bit hard to believe Power as a mobster.

Tyrone Power puts a sympathetic face on crime in his role as a young man who is drawn into the criminal underworld, after his father is imprisoned for embezzlement. While it does boast exciting action sequences, this film is not just your typical gangster movie: It goes to great lengths to show how a person, like Tyrone Power's character, who is completely disillusioned by his experiences following the discovery of his father's dishonesty, might turn to crime. Tyrone Power gives a sincere and heartfelt performance, which gives an added depth to both his role as Johnny Apollo and to the movie itself. Highly recommended to all Tyrone Power fans and those who enjoy excellent crime dramas.

"Johnny Apollo" is a better than average film for 1940, and it's worth watching if for no other reason than a four-minute segment in which sultry Dorothy Lamour, all dark eyes and pouty lips, sings "This Is the Beginning of the End" in a stunning, torchy alto. The song was a 1952 hit for singer Don Cornell, but his version pales beside Lamour's soulful rendition here. Her role as "Lucky" completely trumps her best known role as a foil for Hope & Crosby in the Road pictures. I have a whole new respect for her now as a singer, an artist and a sex symbol.

Embezzler Edward Arnold goes to prison and son Tyrone Power tries to make it on his own honestly. Doesn't work out well. So Tyrone decides Pop was right and that the only way to make it ahead in the world is by being a crook. So he hooks up with gangster Lloyd Nolan and falls for Nolan's girl Dorothy Lamour. When Arnold finds out what his son is up to, he's none too pleased.

Enjoyable gangster drama with a fine cast. Some have said Power is miscast. I think he's okay for the part. It's not really a gritty movie, despite the plot. Maybe if it had been a tough film noir, I could see the point that Power was wrong for the role. But it's not and he isn't. Edward Arnold is good. I doubt the man ever did a bad acting job in his career. His character is somewhat poorly written and hard to relate to, but it's difficult to dislike him due to Arnold's sympathetic performance. Nice to see Charley Grapewin playing something besides a grizzled old-timer without most of his marbles. Beautiful Dorothy Lamour is always a plus and it's good to see her in a serious role. Lloyd Nolan pretty much steals the movie as the gangster Mickey Dwyer. Lionel Atwill is largely wasted as Arnold's attorney.

The biggest flaw with the movie is that its plot isn't always consistent. Arnold's character is a crook who first treats his son like crap for not being okay with his crookedness. Then later he treats his son like crap for becoming a criminal like Dad. Still, it's an enjoyable movie. The script's got some nice dialogue. Watch for the scene where Power chases, tackles, and beats Marc Lawrence's head against the ground! Yikes!

Am incredibly fond of crime dramas, both the Phillip Marlowe/Raymond Chandler/film noir-type ones and the more elaborate, more violent ones such as the likes of 'The Godfather' and 'Goodfellas'. The cast also promised a lot, with the most intriguing on paper being an against type Tyrone Power. So they were my two main reasons for seeing 'Johnny Apollo', as well as liking the idea of the story and hearing good things from critics whose opinions are mostly worth trusting.

'Johnny Apollo' turned out to be a well done, fun film with a vast majority of elements executed excellently. If you like any of the actors, good casts and like the type of film it fits under, there is a fairly strong chance of you enjoying 'Johnny Apollo'. It is not a perfect film or one that blows the mind, but there are absolutely no regrets watching it. Quite the contrary and actually thought it was a much needed antidote after a difficult week.

Not everything works. Credibility is strained to the maximum, particularly the final act which also felt a bit too rushed and culminates on a too unrealistically pat and almost sugary note. Arnold's attitude towards his son regarding the crookedness seemed inconsistent and one is not sure as to why.

While the songs are great on their own, don't feel out of place and are beautifully sung by Dorothy Lamour ("They Say" is a hit for good reason, and "This is the Beginning of the End" is especially well sung), they interrupted the flow a bit. Lionel Atwill has far too little to do and struggles to do much with it.

Power however does quite well in an atypical role that required a lot of grit and Power provides that, more than just a handsome face that he was clearly trying to break away from admirably. Actually felt though that the supporting cast were even better, while Dorothy Lamour is an absolute charmer as the female lead the acting honours go to Edward Arnold, as the character who gets my vote as the most interesting, and Lloyd Nolan's unflinching gangster. Enjoyed Charley Grapewin too. The script is taut and has the right amount of suspense and entertainment value.

Henry Hathaway directs with ease and seemed to understand the genre, and the story is suitably hard-boiled and intriguing even if it is not flawlessly executed. The pace is controlled yet generally compelling when the flow is not interrupted. There is some authentic period detail enhanced by the gritty photography and eerie lighting.

In summation, pretty good and recommended though not an essential. 7/10